Vol 34 Issue 13

As Based on the Canons of Dordt, Popularly known as the Five Points of Calvinism. Total Depravity(Continued) 

Christ’s Death and Its Significance We are coming to the close of the season of Lent, that season of the year in which the church more than at any other time meditates upon and preaches about the suffering and death of our Savior on Calvary’s Cross. In fact, just three days after you are supposed to receive this issue of The Standard Bearer, most of the Christian churches will conduct special Good Friday services which, of course, will be followed with special Easter services on the following Sunday. 

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  James 1:5 “The proceedings of all assemblies shall begin by calling upon the Name of God and be closed with thanksgiving.”  Article 32, D.K.O.

We must still investigate the significance of this article in as far as it touches on the common grace question. As we said before, this is the only place where our Reformed confessions use the term common grace. And this, of course, at once attracts the attention. As we also indicated previously, it must at once be granted that in this article the matter of common grace enters in rather incidentally. The article as such deals not with the common grace doctrine, but with the general grace doctrine of the Arminians.

The elevation of Rudolf inaugurated a period of peace in the relations of the papacy and the empire. Gregory X had gained a brilliant victory. The emperor was crowned at Aachen, Oct. 24, 1273 (his furthering of the election of Rudolf. pf Hapsburg to the imperial throne): The place of the. Hohenstaufen was thus taken by the Austrian house of Hapsburg, which has continued to this day to be a reigning dynasty and loyal to the Catholic hierarchy.

“It is lawful to kill a man who gives you a box on the ear, or a blow with a stick, if you cannot get justice otherwise.”—Lessius  “It is lawful to steal, not only in extreme necessity, but also in such necessity as is hard to be endured, though not extreme.”—Lessius. “When a man has received money to do a wicked act, is he obliged to return it? We must distinguish: if he has not done the action for which he was paid, he ought to return it; but if he has done it, he is not obliged to any...

In the last essay we noticed that Paul speaks of the last class of persons to be noticed under the matters of marriage and its related problems. He emphasizes that in regard to this matter he has no particular command from Christ. Thus he did have in regard to the matter of those married. Any one who is married must remain in the marriage state.

The prophet again beholds all the nations gathered against Jerusalem. Also 12:1-9 speaks of a conflict between Jerusalem and all the nations. But there the enemies are described as smitten, cut in pieces; no mention is made of an initial Capture of the city by the adversary. But here the announcement is that “the city shall be taken, and the houses spoiled and the women raped and half of the city shall go forth into captivity.” Only then will Jehovah appear for the salvation of the remnant and for the setting up of His kingdom (1-7).

The same truth is indicated in the palm branches which they hold in their hands. By these we are referred, no doubt, to the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, when the children of Israel commemorated how they had been in the desert, and joyously thought of their being led out of bondage into the land of promise. So also this multitude: they have been in the wilderness of life, of sin and imperfection, of suffering and want and death. But they are all through: they are now in the land of promise, They celebrate their final deliverance and entrance...

In our last editorial on the above mentioned subject we stated that it is not the Declaration of Principles that was the cause of the schism in our churches and the reason why the schismatics left us, but the fact that the latter did not want to maintain the Protestant Reformed truth.  For that declaration is the truth. And that truth the schismatics rejected.  They, principally, rejected it because they want to maintain their conditional theology.